Cole Palmer rewrites Premier League history with four first-half goals in Chelsea’s 4-2 demolition of Brighton

Cole Palmer did something on September 28, 2024, that no player in the 32-year history of the Premier League had ever done. He scored four goals in the first half of a single match, dragging Chelsea to a 4-2 victory over Brighton at Stamford Bridge and casually rewriting the record books in the process.

A first half for the ages

Brighton came out swinging. Georginio Rutter gave the visitors a lead in the 7th minute, briefly suggesting that Chelsea’s afternoon might not go according to plan.

Palmer had other ideas. He equalized in the 21st minute, then stepped up to convert a penalty in the 28th. Three minutes later, he made it a hat trick. By the 41st minute, he had four, the last of which came from a free kick struck from roughly 25 yards out.

Carlos Baleba pulled one back for Brighton, making it 4-2. But by then, Palmer had already done enough damage to fill an entire season’s highlight reel.

The truly surreal part: all six goals were scored before halftime. The second 45 minutes played out goalless, as if both teams collectively decided the first half had been dramatic enough.

Palmer’s rise from Manchester City spare part to Chelsea talisman

Palmer arrived at Stamford Bridge from Manchester City the previous season. He accomplished the same four-goal feat against Everton in April 2024, making him one of a very small group of players to score four in a Premier League match, let alone do it twice in the same calendar year.

What separated this performance from the Everton one was the sheer variety. A penalty conversion, a long-range free kick, and two goals from open play. At 22 years old, Palmer compressed four goals into 20 minutes of first-half football.

What this means for Chelsea and Brighton

The victory gave Chelsea four consecutive wins across all competitions under manager Enzo Maresca. Chelsea moved into the top four of the Premier League standings with the result, sitting just two points behind the league leaders.

For Brighton, the loss ended their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 season. They had looked competitive early, with Rutter and Baleba both finding the net, but Palmer’s brilliance overwhelmed whatever defensive structure Brighton had in place.

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